Calgary daycare employee fired after child left in van

The owner of Fledglings Educare Centre, a licensed daycare, says the driver has now been let go.

Global News

A Calgary daycare employee has been fired after a young boy was left in a van last week.

Last Monday, Samantha Richard received a phone call that her six-year-old son Brandon had not made it to class.

She called her daycare, as staff there were responsible for dropping Brandon off. She said she was told he had been seen going to school. After a two-hour long search, Brandon was found hiding under a seat in the daycare van.

The owner of Fledglings Educare Centre, a licensed daycare, told Global News the driver had been reprimanded and new policies put in place on Tuesday night. By Wednesday, the owner confirmed the driver has been let go.

A spokesperson for Alberta’s Ministry of Children’s Services said the government has stringent requirements for licensed childcare providers and staff in the province.

“Whenever we hear concerns about the well-being of children in any childcare program in Alberta, we act quickly to investigate and take whatever action is necessary to ensure those children are safe,” press secretary Aaron Manton said in a statement.

“If a provider is required to take measures to remedy a concern, licensing officers will complete a follow-up inspection to confirm the concern has been addressed.”

Manton said licensed child-care programs are required to post their inspection reports in a prominent and visible place on the program premises.

Watch below from Sept. 26: Parents of a young boy are demanding the driver of a daycare van be fired after their son went missing for two hours. Tracy Nagai reports.